Join Me Lovely
by I ALWAYS trusted Snape
Summary: What if there was another who captured the Goblin King's attention? What if Sarah became a pawn in the game? What if the Labyrinth was much darker than the fairytale that Sarah remembers?
1. Chapter 1

Myths have circulated throughout the timeline of centuries about a place where the boundary between reality and fantasy has been blurred and broken. As the years progressed and science was used to explain any supernatural encounters, those myths became nothing more than distant fairytales. However, such a mystical place does exist. Whispers carry on the wind beckoning anyone to come forth and fall in its tantalizing clutches yet again.

Only one person has ever crossed that delicate line, and only she has returned with a bitter taste in her mouth. Every possible gift that could be bestowed upon her did not satisfy the naïve girl. But she has since grown, and every touch, smell, and taste that used to dance across her in vivid remembrance has faded into hazy nighttime visions. On the other hand, he who poured his heart into pleasing her by being insurmountably generous still remembers her glowing face every day and lays nostalgic, a broken man.

Little children dance along the ground above him; their tapping tunes forcing unwanted regrets back into his mind. Only, one sits alone on the forest's edge. Perhaps the curtain shall be ripped one last time…

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Rena shifted uncomfortably on the fallen tree she was sitting on as she stared at the entrance to the forest. The lush grass halted at some invisible line, and, as if by magic, large foreboding trees thrust out of the ground touching the sky therefore blocking any sunlight from streaming through. She inhaled with parted lips, the air rushed in cold and sharp. The temperature seemed to have dropped, but she didn't mind. Mothers ushering their children back to the car—music to Rena's ears. The incessant shrieks of young, ignorant children snapping twigs and crunching leaves was the most irritating noise she had ever encountered.

The trees bowed to the wind as it howled in a ferocious tantrum. Her hair whipped violently around her face, stinging whatever flesh it came in contact with. The leaves seemed to be whispering to her, coaxing Rena forth.

_Absurd,_ she thought to herself, _Whispering leaves? What am I? Some helpless romantic poet?_

Yet again, the wind blew, this time her name was shrieked as though the caller was suffering from some unimaginable torture. Rena stood up in shock before slowly approaching the edge of the forest. The force tugging on her seemed even more impatient at her slow advance. It screamed louder and more violent, but all she could hear was her heart beating wildly within her.

"Rena!" Was that the wind? It sounded so different; concerned and hasty. "Rena, you psycho, what are you doing out in this weather?"

She turned around, shoulders stiff, until she saw her friend, Sarah, jogging towards her. "Oh, it's you."

"Who else would it be?" Sarah clutched her sides and put on a pained smile. "Running and this weather, not a good mix." Rena shrugged as she guided her friend back to the fallen tree. "Anyways, what were you doing? You looked so dazed."

"Just silly fairytales." It felt as though someone had stabbed her with a white-hot shard of glass. Rena doubled over and fell to the ground as she gripped her stomach.

She could hear Sarah's terrified voice calling her name and Rena could feel her body trembling. But something was there, something that was calming her. The sound of the wind had died, but the whispers remained. Rena's mind felt fuzzy and confused, for in her mind she saw masked faces, twirling dresses, and a man in the center of it all smiling with jagged teeth. Music hummed in her ears and a warm silk enveloped her body until she felt as though someone was holding her, moving her. But then the vision began to fade, the dancers wailed in despair, and the man in the midst of it all vanished. The music was replaced with a repetitive, high-pitched beeping that stung her ears. Rena shifted as an attempt to switch back to that exquisite fantasy, but it only made her more aware that her body was being constricted by a rough fabric. She opened her eyes to slits as she adjusted to the brightness of the painfully white room.

"Rena…Are you okay?" The room shifted making Rena queasy. "Do you want me to fetch a nurse?"

She sat up, eyes still reduced to slits. "No. I'm just a little dizzy." Rena paused and felt for her friend's hand. "What happened?"

"I don't know. Neither do the doctor's." Sarah caressed her hand as a mother would. "You just started screaming and you fell to the ground. Scared the shit out of me." She breathed with a laugh.

Rena finally opened her eyes to find a teary, red-eyed girl staring back at her. "You think you were scared…" They shared an awkward laugh. "But seriously, you won't believe what I dreamt about. It was a ballroom dance, there were masked people swirling around me, and there was him…" Sarah's eyes grew wide and her face turned pale. "Are you okay?"

Sarah nodded hastily before turning to the window. "This man…what did he look like?"

"Amazing," Rena sighed while kicking the blankets off and removing the IVs. "His hair was wild, golden, and silky. His clothes glittered with a light that would make the moon envious, and his eyes—"

Sarah threw up the window to cut off her friend's story. Rena shrugged and joined her at the window. Down below, an ambulance was pulling it, its lights flashing.

"What do you say to getting a bite to eat? I'm sure they could use the room." Sarah said gingerly while heading towards the door.

Rena chewed on the inside of her cheek thoughtfully. Rarely anything disturbed Sarah, but now it was as if she had seen a ghost.

"You sure that you don't need the room?"

"Nah, I just need some fresh air."

"Then do you want to go back to the par—"

"No!" She cleared her throat uneasily and lowered her voice. "I mean, I would rather just get some food."

Rena checked her watch absentmindedly. "Shit. It's almost six." She looked apologetically at Sarah. "I'm gonna have to take a rain check on the food. I haven't even started the outline for the English essay."

"Ooh." She tsked. "That took me three and a half hours to do. Good luck."

Rena shouted goodbye as she ran out of the hospital. The icy wind bit reproachfully at her nose and it rushed down throat causing her lungs to contract painfully with the effort. _Just a few more blocks,_ she thought, _and I'll be in my warm apartment._ She rounded another corner, still too proud to stop and catch her breath. _Almost there, almost there._ The street was eerily quiet. The only noises Rena could hear were her feet hitting the pavement, her breaths rattling her chest, and the wind screeching in her ears. She shook her head. _The air isn't screaming,_ she chastised mentally_, the wind can't speak. _Yet it continued repeating her name; but, this time, it seemed more patient, gentle. She looked to her left where the voice seemed the most distinguishable and noticed that she was passing the park. Rena ceased running and stood frozen staring at the forest's edge. An ominous pulsing was beating in her mind—_no, just a heartbeat_—Goosebumps crawled over her skin—_it's just the cold_—Rena stepped down the curb and began to warily approach the ghostly voice resounding across the swaying branches. Something soft brushed her cheek. It felt like heaven's breath was caressing her tenderly. She turned as it flew away and saw that it was nothing more than a white feather floating with ease on the harsh currents.

_Rena…_It whispered_…Don't hesitate…_Prickling shivers washed down her head, exploded on her arms, and slithered down her spine_…I have brought you a gift._

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It gets better, or at least I think so. Since this is just an intro I let it stay pretty short, but the chapters are going to be longer.

And Rena's friend Sarah is, in fact, THE Sarah (Williams). Yippee for complications!

Read, enjoy, review.


	2. Chapter 2

Rena awoke with a start, her heart beating wildly within her chest and a cold sweat on her forehead. She sat up and flung her legs over the side of the bed. She held her hands out, they were shaking. She pushed her hair away from her face but was disgusted at how easily her hands slid over her skin. Rena stumbled into the bathroom and turned the water on hot.

"Just a dream…" She moaned trying to convince herself. "Nothing more." Steam swirled ceaselessly around her. "The wind can't whisper," Rena held her adamant stare in the foggy reflection of her mirror. "Fairytales don't exist," The mirror produced a strange glow. "And there is no such thing as magic."

Those haunting eyes of the man from her dream somehow appeared in her mirror, an unnatural tint of anger and determination flickering ominously in them. She let out a yelp as she jumped back and slammed into the opposite wall. Rena clenched her eyes shut, white dots danced across her eyelids, and when she opened them, the eyes in the mirror had gone and a lustrous crystal ball was placed on the counter. Before she realized what she was doing, Rena outstretched her hand and took the mystical orb into her palm. It was hot for some reason, not scalding, and the most peculiar aspect of its being, it that it was pulsing. Rena swallowed hard then tossed it in the trash.

"Damn it's hot." She turned the water off then waited for the steam to clear. Rena checked the trash as the last unpleasant wisp of heat vanished, and was glad to see that there was no crystal within miscellaneous pieces of refuse. "Huh…A hallucination…"

Rena eased into the water, allowing her eyes to drift shut as the warmth enclosed her. Her skin tingled causing her brain to whirl pleasantly. Music began playing somewhere, its faint tune drifting elegantly to her ears. The lilts in the music flowed in and around her mind squeezing tighter until the line of reality blurred. Dancers glided across the room, laughing, spinning, whispering. Rena was along the very edge of the expanse, arms crossed insecurely as she was the only one standing alone. One of the small mirrors that a woman was shining around caught the light and shone in Rena's eyes. She shielded her face, but tensed when she felt someone grip her wrists. Only an inch from her face was the man with mismatched eyes bending down to gaze intently at her. Rena allowed him to guide her through the crowd, her body somehow swaying gracefully along with his.

"Why are you doing this? Why me?" Her voice sounded distant and completely unlike her own.

The music buzzed in her ears until it changed into nothing more than white noise. "So very quick of you to get to the point." He mused. "I'm offended." The tone of his voice flicked at her ear teasingly.

"Oh?" The dress squeezed her waist; it was making it harder to breathe.

"You did not even concern yourself with asking my name." The man spun her then pulled her closer to him. "Well?"

Rena tried to speak, but the dress was too tight. "I can't…"

His eyebrow quirked up. "Can't you?" He let go of her and stepped back. "Pity. I could have saved you." A couple waltzed before him, and then he was gone.

"Wait…" She tugged at the dress helplessly, her body was wavering. "Don't leave…"

A chuckle resounded throughout her mind and the music began playing once again. All she could hear was a sad violin emitting a slow sigh that matched her heartbeat. Rena fell to her knees, still clutching at the dress as the world was falling down around her. Somewhere far away, a clock sounded drowning out the violin. She looked to where she had first stepped into the room and saw a girl in the same dress lifting a chair and breaking the glass. The vision fell away from view, the dancers wailed in despair, and a voice whispered into her ear.

_Such a pity…_

Rena sat up choking on the bath water, gasping for air. She lurched forward violently as she coughed up the remnants of water in her lungs. Everything burned and ached. Her mind was swimming as she fought for a clear state of consciousness, but at the same time she was trying to recall her insidious dream. Rena got out of the water and wrapped herself in a towel inattentively, but she heard something clunk and roll towards her feet. She looked down to see a crystal on the floor. Its shimmer was like a dagger in her eyes, and it still pulsed as before.

"Just a dream, just a dream." Rena clenched her eyes shut. "Nothing more."

_Such a pity…_

She opened her eyes and exhaled in relief when she saw that it had disappeared yet again. It wasn't even noon yet and Rena felt like she had just spent a day's worth of writing essays and doing work. She scrunched her damp hair as she lazily meandered back to her room

_One last day 'til the weekend._ She mused. _Thank God for that._ Rena smiled wryly as she put on her jeans and shirt. _This Saturday is gonna be filled with Tequila, White Russians, and who knows what else with my mates._

"And no fucking fairytales." She huffed while bending to put on her shoes. "Not a single, hormone filled, childish, Cinderella themed dream." Rena looked outside, frowning as the wind picked up. "And no talking air currents."

The phone rang causing Rena to yelp despite herself. She strode across the room to her bedside and snatched her cell phone off the charger.

"Hello?"

"Hey Rena," Luke's deep voice responded giddily, "You still on for tonight?"

She paused trying to remember her calendar. "Tonight…?"

"Don't tell me you forgot."

She twirled a strand of hair around her fingers innocently, not caring that he couldn't see the gesture. "Remind me?"

He sighed. "You're doing that 'But look at my pouty eyes' and 'Oh no, I'm not flaunting my cleavage on purpose' thing aren't you?"

"Of course not." She giggled. "Besides, what would be the point?"

"Mental images." Luke groaned. "Tonight, you, me, Sarah, and Spencer—we're gonna go out. Any of this ringing a bell?"

"Oh! I thought that was tomorrow."

"So you're still coming?"

Rena plopped on her bed. "Yup!"

"Great, it's a date!"

She sat up abruptly. "Wait—wha—"

"Bye Rena."

He hung up the phone and Rena did as well, although a little more aggressively. On one hand she was frustrated at how Luke assumed she would go on the date with him, on the other she has a strange tumbling feeling in her stomach, the kind that occurred only when one was about to jump off of a cliff, literally or metaphorically, or when some emotion that had been veiled was suddenly exposed. She shook her head and rubbed her arms to rid herself of the goose bumps. It was the latter reason; it had to be the latter. A cold breeze nestled against the nape of her neck and wriggled playfully next to her earlobe. She turned sharply and saw that her window was open. As she drew near it, a white feather floated past her before resting comfortably on her bed. Rena felt feverish and confused as her feet moved her towards it. She brushed one finger across the surface; it was so smooth, like silk or like crystal. But something else besides the feather's exquisite texture held her there, something that she had felt before; a certain silk that had wrapped her within its embrace. Rena recoiled at the thought of how his hold made her feel.

—_Just silly fairytales—_

—_I have brought you a gift—_

—_Why me?—_

—_I could have save you—_

—_Don't leave—_

—_Such a pity—_

Rena jumped at the sound of her phone ringing. She took the feather in her hand and observed it as she answered. "Rena here."

"It's Sarah. Are we still carpooling today?"

"Yeah. I'll be there in five." She heard Sarah scolding someone about cookies. "Toby's over I'm guessing."

"Toby," She breathed, "I swear the kid never wears out."

"And that's why I'm glad I'm an only child." Rena gloated while placing the feather in her nightstand's drawer. "See y a soon."

"Bye, jerk."

Rena shoved her cell phone into her pocket and flung her bag over her shoulder. Any thoughts concerning that man or the feather evaporated from her mind to make room for her thoughts about her date with Luke. She loaded herself into her car, drumming her fingers on the wheel, her stomach flipped giddily as her mind fumbled through the different possibilities. Rena licked her lips in anticipation.

The song on the radio cracked and turned into static. Rena turned the station, static, the next, static. Finally she glanced down at it with surprise as the station number was replaced by, "Look what I'm offering you." On the passenger seat was another crystal, glowing brilliantly. She ripped her gaze away and focused on the road. The orb's light was warming her face while chilling her heart. _Just a few more blocks._ Icy fingertips wrapped around her throat and squeezed.

"What do you want?" She screamed through a stiff jaw. Rena wouldn't cry; this was something too absurd to cry over. She was probably just filled with the anxiety of upcoming finals. She tried to shake away her paranoia by laughing at herself for how irrational she was reacting to a few coincidences, dreams, and hallucinations.

"What do I want?" A deep voice responded diabolically. "I want everything you can give." That familiar, snide chuckle sounded in the car. "Or everything I can take."

She swallowed hard while pulling into Sarah's driveway. Several of Toby's toys were lying on the lawn; Rena had no doubt they were used for simplistic fantasies about a knight fighting magical evils that lurked in caves. She rolled her eyes. Nothing could take her mind away from the bodiless voice stalking her.

"Well," She gripped the wheel until her fingers blanched. "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger."

Sarah sprinted out of the house, slamming the door behind her. She tossed her bag in the back seat before opening the passenger door.

She froze. "What is that?" Her eyes were glued on the crystal.

"Don't ask me. I didn't put it there."

Sarah grumbled moodily as she went back to her bag to fetch a binder. "Watch and learn." She used the binder to push the crystal off of the seat and unto the ground. Then, she ran to the lawn, picked up Toby's baseball bat, and smashed the ball.

Rena's eyes lit up as she saw a peculiar mist wafting around its shattered remains. "Um, anger management much?"

"Hold on. I have something that you'll be needing." Moments later, she returned with a small crimson book that looked rather beaten up. She flipped it open and began pointing at miscellaneous details. "Don't fall for this—" _The Goblin King had fallen in love with the girl._ "Definitely don't say that—" _I wish the goblins would come take you away. Right now._ "And, most importantly, remember this—" _You have no power over me._ "Here," She tossed the book into Rena's lap while buckling herself in. "You need it more than me."

"Thanks I guess."

Rena pulled out, trying not to cast suspicious glances at Sarah. Mysterious crystals that appeared everywhere she went was one thing, but the way Sarah seemed so confident in giving her instructions was another. She turned on the radio.

—Just my imagination. Running away with me—

Sarah switched it off irritably. The drive was unbearable due to the silence. Rena could almost taste the tension hovering above them like a hungry vulture. She forced one hand off of the wheel; her firm hold had caused her fingers to cramp.

"So," She said quietly, her voice cracked. "You know a lot about this?"

Sarah cast a sidelong glance. "Yeah."

"Seems a bit ridiculous."

"No, it doesn't."

"Oh." Rena checked her rearview mirror as something to do. "Huh."

"What?" She straightened her posture like a deer ready to bound away.

"There's an owl following us."

"What?" She jerked around and sighed at the truth in Rena's observation. "Pull over."

Rena did as she was told, and watched wide-eyed as Sarah left the car and approached the bird that had seated itself on the hood of the car. A couple of minutes passed then Rena jumped at the sound of a scream. She tugged her seatbelt out of the way and stumbled out of the car, heat beating violently, to see the man from her dreams, the Goblin King, leaning against the car smugly.

"What did you do to her?" Someone screamed. Rena stilled as she realized it had been her own voice. "Goblin King, give her back."

"Ah, so you know one of my titles." He eyed her voraciously. "Yet you still don't know my name."

"I don't give a fuck about your name." Rena's eyes prickled with the threat of tears. _No, I won't cry._ Her skin was on fire, she could believe what was happening. "What did you do with her?"

The Goblin King moved closer to her, his eyes ablaze with malice. "Perhaps you should be less concerned for your friend, and more concerned for yourself. Sarah believes I'm a weak creature that can be defeated by a poorly constructed monologue." A smirk touched his lips. "She discovered her fallacy today."

"Bring her back." Rena shoved against his chest. Her emotions were running everywhere, colliding, crashing, burning. The only visible outlet was through physical confrontation. "Bring her back!"

A dark glower consumed his face sending shivers to ripple over her body. "Say your right words, Rena dearest." He snarled. "I know she told you."

"I wish…I wish…" Her gaze darted to the little book on the dashboard. "No. You're a liar and a cheat."

"Too bad. Sarah desperately needs your help."

He began to walk away, but Rena reached out to grab his shoulder. She didn't know how long they stood like that, but it felt like an eternity. His white, feathered cloak rustled impatiently in the wind, flicking at her shins.

_Just breathe. You can do this._

"I wish that the goblins would come and take me away." She paused, the wind whipped around her hair almost as though it was begging her to continue. "Right now."

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Yeah, another cliffhanger. But the good news about this story is that I think I'll be able to update at least once a week. The next chapter is already half-way finished so any loyal readers should be happy about that.

I haven't really made any real allusions yet, but I plan on inserting a lot later on; but yes, I did include a few. Also, I'll try to keep the chapter length at least this long.

So read, enjoy, review.


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